The Changling
by NewDawnFox
Summary: what would have happened if Halt had taken the princesses place? what if there was more in skandia than skandians. read to find out.
1. Chapter 1

**An: I don't own Ranger's apprentice**

The Changeling

Chapter 1

Darkness falls

High, sitting on a hill top, sat a castle but no just any castle, it was the castle of Shotaha the evil enchantress. The forest that sounds the castle had drowned many years ago in Shotaha's rage, it creaked and ground and was said to be protected, by demons.

Down this hillside the witch looked, from this height revealed a lot about what went on in the country side bellow. The alternating patches of rocky bottom and green weed around deep cave like holes in which things that she had created over the years could be hidden. Her eyes locked on something. There was movement, a shadow of something, something that she had hated for a long time, she was sure that he was here.

A ball of lighted flame illuminated the area where she had last seen him, in the intense blue and yellow light Shotaha expanded her field of vision, only to see him vanish in the dead forest bellow.

Shotaha called the light back as her slave came into the room. She saw him staring but most people did, she was attractive, that took most people's breath away. She wore a wispy dress with varieties of blues across its crystal like surface, its folds and loose paints floating in the breeze. Her full, thick hair was a wavy auburn, her smooth skin was flawless.

"Mistress, the skandians have just come back with their catch and there are many that will suit that purpose"said the slave, who kind of looked like a troll.

Almond eyes shone at him.

"Good, the last batch were all killed by him and the ones I have now will not be a enough for this, he is too strong" Shotaha said moving to the wooden table on the right side of the casters room.

This table held many things, among them wizard dust, it was made from the bones of the wizards she had killed. It shimmered like ice crystal. A curved blade was her favorite weapon it was with them two things she cast her magic with and it was with these two things and a spell from her special book that helped her cast the magic that created her army.

"Mistress it is also said that there are two archers with them, a middle aged man and a very young boy" said the slave, watching mistress's face change at this piece of information.

"Archers, could be good for my plans but only the boy, the spell works best with the young ones and I have no interest in the older man, but also make sure that you get as many as you can I'm going to need the numbers"she said, her voice was now soft and sweet as she knew he like it.

Shotaha watched as her slave smiled and bowed and left her alone in her room. She would have gone herself but her transformations were known and her slave would do any thing for her, all she had to do was turn on the charm.

Latter, she knew he would be back with children, ones that would help her kill that man and take his power as her own.

Soon her slave was back, he came to her and told her that he had got twelve boys all under the eighteen year mark, and that he had got the archer boy as well. The older archer had obviously been the boy's father because he had tried to come for the boy before he was locked away again in the sale yard.

Time to make her army, she thought, as she went down to the spell room. In this room stood a large wooden table that held heavy iron chains. Shotaha made sure she had all she needed for her spell to work.

As Shotaha mixed the ingredients for the potions, her slave now brought in the boys. They ranged in age and size from the oldest being around seventeen, tall, very strong with thick blonde hair and deep blue eyes, to the smallest who she had been told was the archer boy, maybe fifteen at the most, with deep brown eyes, but the difference with this boy was that in his eyes he held some fear but also a determination about something. She watched as they were soon chained to the wall, so escape was impossible.

"Carl bring the biggest, strip him naked ad chain him down to the table" Shotaha told Carl her slave, as she got ready for the next part.

As he started to do as Shotaha asked, the boy made a break for it, only to be stopped by Carl. Carl slammed him into the wall knocking his breath out of him and before he got it back, his clothes were removed and he was chained to the table.

Shotaha took a small cup of dark gold liquid and poured it down his throat, which had his body twisting and he started to scream at the top of his lungs. Shotaha started to say the spells ancient words and the boy's body and screaming increased. Lastly she dipped her curved blade into the wizard dust and drove it deep into the boy's heart.

As she took the blade from the boy, his breathing, body twisting and screaming, that had stopped while the blade was in his heart, started again now it was out, but now something else was happening, his skin looked like it was growing animal fur.

"Take him to the cages and then come back here for the next one" Shotaha said

As Shotaha watched her slave take the changeling out of the room. She noticed the boys chained to the wall, all but one were screaming or crying or both, all except the archer, he was still watching her, staring at her with those deep brown eyes.

Carl came in and moved to the next oldest boy but the witch stopped him. She knew now who had to be turned next and it was not the boy Carl was going to unchain next.

"Carl... not that one" she said and when he looked at her confused by what she had just said, she continued "the archer boy is next".

**An:How is that? I know it as been asked for months(looking at you flaminglake) so I hope you like it and I'll try to bring out the next one soon.**

**review**


	2. Chapter 2

**An:I don't own Ranger's apprentice**

Chapter 2

Beautiful Creatures

Will look at the woman who had just pointed at him. He should have known he would be next, ranger were usually the first ones to be dealt with but he did not think the witch knew that about him. Halt had also told him that the corps were not known outside of Araluen. As the man - troll who helped her came over and untied him, only to have his clothes taken from him and his body chained to the table. Will never, not once took his eyes of the witch.

For if he survived this, whatever this was, he knew in his heart that she was the going to be the first one he would kill. She brought over the potion it shimmered and shined like the dust that was on the table. Will kept his mouth clamped shut, he would make sure that the potion would not get in his mouth. So she pinched his nose so he could not breathe. Will tried to get her hand away only to have his mouth open as his need to breathe increased. In that moment she forced it down his throat and took her hand away from him as Will's body started to tremble.

As the pain Will had from the potion started to eat away at his body, he just had to say "Torture me all you want, **Halt will come for me**" Will yelled the last of it out before Shotaha said her spell and brought down the knife.

The pain of the blade's magic hit him hard. Even before the knife had hit he had been in pain, now as he saw her standing over him. The pain ripped through him like a waterfall of icy water on open wounds. Will felt himself being lifted and moved but he was lost. Fire burned through every inch of him.

Will tried to call for help, for Tug, for Gilan but mostly for Halt the person he thought of as his father. His calls soon died away as the pain of the magic consumed him and took the breath from his lungs and his voice with it and before Will blacked out he heard the growls of some kind of animal.

In his mind, the part that was far away from what was happening,even though he could still feel the pain his body was in but in his memories he was at least a little safe.

Will remembered the first time he saw Morgarath and how he had dragged himself and Evanlyn in front of the king's army. Will could not hear what the man was saying to them but the look on there faces said it all. They were mad.

A wargal held a blade to Will's neck as Morgarath kept on with his taunts to Halt and the other people there. Then all of a sudden Will could hear what the mad man had to say. " So I have got one of your stinking ranger brats as my prisoner. Boy is your master here? or are you too small that he does not want you anymore. Answer me?" Morgarath yelled to Will before grabbing him from the wargal and throwing him to the ground and rearing his horse in front of him as if to crush him beneath the horse's hooves.

"Stop" Halt said in a penetrating voice. The red surge of hatred was easy for all to see, Morgarath had not threaten Will again or Halt would kill him white flag or no white flag it meant nothing to him.

"Ahh... so is he yours Halt? and what will you do to get him back. I don't think I can let him go. I think I have decided I'll have some fun with him first, at least that will make one less sneaking, hiding spy in the future" Morgarath sneered.

"You really want my life Morgarath? not the boy's, so take it but release the children and I will do anything you ask" Halt said moving Abelard forward, trying to get to a spot where he could dash forward and grab Will and Evanlyn.

"Fine I will let the girl go for your life Halt, but the boy I promised to my friends the skandians and Halt if you do take this, that horse stays where it is... can't have you performing some sort of escape now can we. After all this boy's life depends on what you do next" Morgarath said while getting his horse to lift one of its front hooves above Will's head ready to crush his skull if Halt did not do what he said.

Will remembered now how Halt had come over and taken Evanlyn's place and how he had tried to get them away from the Skandians on the beach, only to have them both tied and locked in different cages in the bottom of the ship.

And after months at sea they were brought into the Skandians slave market harbor. Will remembered the thick rope that was tied tightly around his wrists and how Halt looked as he was taken to a different set of cages, as Will was loaded on to a wagon with other boys and of Halt's voice as he tried to fight the guards to get to him.

"Will! stay alive! don't give up! I'll find you wherever they take you!"

"Halt!"Will had called back to him as he was taken away to this hell hole of a castle. Now this witch had done something to him and was planing to do more to the others that were brought with him.

Sometime later Will opened his eyes to the strangest sight. He had been placed in a room with wolves. All of whom were twitching in their sleep or like him looking around. It was very confusing why was he here?

Then Will noticed something strange about himself, he was a wolf. He could see it reflected in the glass that was around the room. When he moved this wolf moved, he was a white wolf with golden flecks through his fur. His eye sight was sharper than it had ever been. He could see the dirt on the walls and the tiny drops of blood that littered the floor. He could smell better too and this place stank.

"I agreed with you there?" said a voice

Will looked around to see a bigger wolf staring at him. Somehow Will knew that the wolf had not talked using his voice, only his thoughts. Telepathic communication Will thought.

"Yes" said the large reddish brown wolf. Will could see that his legs, face and tail were of a ashy brown color too.

"My name is Will, what's yours?" said Will getting to his feet or paws as he reminded himself.

"Mine's Brandon, nice to meet you Will. Do you know any of the others here?" and when Will shook his head Brandon continued "I do, that ash brown over there is my little brother Collin, we were camping one last brother trip before I started my apprenticeship with the horse trainer up at the castle and I knew I would not be coming home as much. Its my fault but I know this I will protect him now from what ever this is."

Just then Will and Brandon heard Collin start to whine as he came out of the transformation sleep, and he was not the only one. One by one all the people turned wolves woke up until there was only one left. He whimpered and whined through the last of it as he seemed to be in more pain than the rest of them. Will thought that maybe this was that older boy, first one and he was having some trouble but then the wolf opened his eyes and it was over. That's was when the talking really began.

**An: Happy Easter to all.**

**read and review**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Blood of the fold

Will, Brandon and his brother Collin finally got to speak to the others. The youngest by half a year was Nicholas, a dark brown almost black wolf, he like Will and Collin were the smallest wolves there. Next was Richard, a red brown with bright green eyes with gold flecks in them, some thing he had kept from his human form, he was a middle sized wolf, friendly. He used to help his father fix things around his home village.

There was the twins Zack and Zedd they had the same shade of grey fur and the only way to tell them apart was that one of them had a blue eye on the left side and the other had it on the right side. Next to them was a smoky grey/brown wolf whose name was Tyler. When Will and the others tried to get more out of him he just growled.

There was a golden wolf called Jason but he told them he liked to be called Hawk. As back home he could track anything and everything. Then came the obvious friends Joshua and Brady, they came from the same home town and knew each other inside and out. They were both grey with dark brown spots.

The last two were the hardest to talk too, even harder than Tyler, but the group found out their names. One was Charlie, a big bear of a wolf with a thick brown coat and the other obviously was the leader of the group was Lucas, bigger again than Charlie, black coat with a white front paw.

Suddenly the door open and the witch stood there. As she looked around at the wolves, Brandon and some of the smaller wolves coward in their cages. Lucas growled and Charlie and he got ready to attack.

Will just readied his stance and as he saw the witch. He knew that she would see no fear in his eyes, just like all rangers. He hoped now she would realize that he would not be an easy target. The wolve's hearts were pounding at what this woman would do to them now. Hopefully it was not going to be anything, for what else could she do?

"Nice... very nice. Two of them are for sure alpha material. The others... The archer boy and the other smaller ones would be good at scouts and for getting quick attacks in. Other than that the rest will just have to follow the orders I give or my alpha wolf gives" said the witch putting her hand on Lucas making him alpha.

With that Lucas calmed down, Charlie was next to be touched and was named his sounded and Tyler was named third. As she came close to Will, he could see what she was doing to each wolf as she touched them. The witch said another spell, something that calmed the wolf and brought it under her control.

As Will was touched, he fought her control. He tried to remember home, his friends in the ward, his father Halt and their lives in the trees with Tug and Abelard, but he couldn't. Soon he did not even remember that he was ever human.

Some time latter, the pack was sent out. Its mission was to find and kill the wizard Valentine "raven" Alexander. They were spelled again before they left. The pack would with the grace of years of hunting instinct would take him down. Will and the other small wolves scouted ahead, the castle they were looking for was hidden deep in the forest at the wild wood.

The wizard's castle was nothing like Shotaha's, this castle had a moat that surrounded it, and it also had soaring spires and turrets. It had a gentleness that Shotaha's had never had. Will realized it was time to get back to the others and report on what they had found, not knowing that they had been seen.

After Will had reported what they had found, Lucas told them that they would go there and watch and wait. There would be a time to attack the wizard but they needed to know more. This human had taken many of their kind before, according to the mistress, and she was never wrong in all of the wolve's eyes.

The wolves now moved swiftly through the forest with Will leading them to the wizard's castle. They watched the wizard for a few days studying his movements as he lead the injured animals of his castle to the stream to drink. He seemed to care about them. Will looked at the man, he reminded him of someone but he could not remember who.

"Bags! I really could do with some help" said a soft voice

Again Will was reminded of someone he knew, someone that cared about him, but he was having trouble, he could only remember being a wolf but these feelings made him think that maybe that he was not always one. The man moved with a grace of a person much younger despite his complaining. Will thought that he would not need that much help to get through his day, he was a wizard.

"Time to move" said Lucas as they saw the wizard was now standing alone on his rock that over looked the nearby lake. He seemed to be staring out into the night, alone with his thoughts.

The wolves moved to a close range position as the wind whipped the wizard's robes. The clouds were thin, and illuminated by the moon, which gave enough light to see by, the wolves started their attack.

The big wolves moved in first, Lucas knocked him off the rock and Charlie pinned him to the ground, only to be thrown off by a jet of fire that came from the man's hand. Charlie got to his feet, his jaw opened wide and he roared as his saliva dripped onto the ground. He was beyond mad.

But the wizard was not fazed as he rained down more and more spells onto the attack crazed wolves. As more of the pack joined in, even the smaller wolves that had been with Will had their go. Pouncing onto his arms, trying to stop the spells that the wizard kept throwing the wolves way.

Will stood frozen, not sure of what to do. Whether to attack or defend, Will kept digging his claws into the soft ground as his mind leapt with agonizing pain, as the spell Shotaha controlled him with told him to act but he was not sure.

Will's claws loosened and he leaped in, knocking one wolf to the ground. He roared furiously, as he dived into the pack. Lucas turned onto Will, his eyes aflame. Will growled and the two wolves clashed as now the wizard was forgotten.

The wizard threw rocks the size of boulders at the two wolves trying to brake them apart. Only to have Lucas throw Will into their line of fire. The other wolves took off scared of the wizard's power. While Will lay there not moving, his world had gone dark.

The only thing he finally remembered was;

"Hold on Will!"

**An: good, bad, other? let me know. oh and for those of you that read my other fic "of witches and wolves" rating will change to "M" to allow more room for my sister to write how she likes to write.**

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	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Stone of tears

"Come on, little one"

Will heard a voice call out to him, but he did not want to answer. He was starting to remember things. His consciousness was gradually filtering memories of a time when he walked on two legs. He had remembered the voyage across the Storm white sea and been taken from some one, some one important. He had to find out what was going on. In agony of this uncertainty and lost memories, he opened his eyes to a strange man.

The man was thin but Will knew that he was not frail. He had long spindly arms and pale leathery skin that had loosely draped clothing over them. He looked at Will with such kindness in his eyes. His soft voice, while not loud held power that Will wanted to hear it again but did not want the man to get to close he did not know if he trusted the man just yet.

Will saw the man take a step closer to where he was laying. He had his arms up in a non threatening manor but still Will growled.

"Easy young one. You have obviously been through a lot at the hands of that banshee Shotaha" said the wizard and when Will turned his wolf's head to the side trying to understand this persons mind. The man continued "yes I know what you are, changling and I can help you in one of two ways"

Will whined. He was to weak to get away and he was afraid of what this man was going to do to him. _Was he like the witch? _Will wondered. But then he remembered the wizard healing the animals that lived at his castle and he whined again.

"Don't worry I wont hurt you, but what I was talking about was that although I can not fully undo the changling spell she placed on you. The first way I was thinking of was I can for one break her hold on you, so she can not control you any more so you may live out your life as a normal wolf as many I have helped choose to do. I still see them from time to time. The second way is that I cast a spell that will give you back your human form for a few hours each day. This will increase as the centuries pass" the wizard told Will.

Will thought about this. Then whined as he remembered what the wizard said last. _Centuries? _Will thought _Does that mean I will never die?_

"Ahh I see you are wondering about what I just said and its true centuries will pass and the human age that you were before you were changed, will not change. I don't know if this spell will give you back all of your human memories but your welcome to live out your forever with me. I would sure like the company as I don't age any more either" the wizard said

Will thumped his tail twice, trying to tell this man that he wanted the second choice. Will thought that the second choice was the better one. It would mean that he could travel and try and get back his memories that he lost when the spell was placed on him. Especially the ones that included a man he thought could be his father.

"By those tail thumps I take it that you want to take up a choice?" the wizard watched the tail thump twice and then said "you want the second choice?" asked the wizard "if this is right thump your tail once, if it is wrong thump your tail twice"

Will thumped his tail once but still had his ears back he did not trust this man fully. He could be laying a trapped. He could still be like the witch and hurt him.

"Good choice your braver than the others but I will put you to sleep so you do not feel the first chance back to your human form and back again. The next time you change either from human to wolf or wolf to human it should not hurt so much" said the wizard and he started to chant a spell, that soon had the young wolf in a deep sleep.

First part of the spell heals any wounds Will still had and then he started to chant the part that would give him back his human form. He closed his eyes as he put words of power into the spell as well, enough that he could change the wolf child into a wizard if he wanted but he would not force such a choice on him because he sensed that someone was waiting for him some where else.

Once the wizard Valentine opened his eyes again he could see where the white wolf had been. There now was a boy. A kid of no more than fifteen, he had dark brown hair and was very small for his age. Valentine covered the now naked human child up. This close to the boy he could see that the spell had not taken all of the wolf away. The boy's ears were pointed and although he had not opened them yet he thought that the boy's eyes would be wolfish too.

"True as toasted toads that boy is going to need some warm clothing" said Valentine to himself as he looked at the boy's size trying to think if he had some thing that would fit.

As the wizard left to find some thing for Will. Will was deep in dreamland feeling better than he had in weeks. Memories came easier now, they were of home. They hit him as he slept and although he did not know the names of the people he saw, it still was nice to know some one out there cared about him. The only thought that went though his mind as he watched the memories play_ are they looking for him?_

It would be many days before Will would open his eyes and in all that Valentine the wizard looked after him. Some times the wizard would hear the boy talking in his sleep mostly to some one named "Halt"

"So this boy has a friend or family member. I can help him get back to them, unless "Halt" just means stop. Bags... I wish he would just wake up already, so that I can have these questions answered" thought Valentine.

The boy changed back and forth between human and wolf. Valentine could see at most the boy could only stay in human form for a few hours and while the boy was human Valentine dressed him in forest green, it seemed to suit him. As if he was always of the forest.

"Halt" said the boy softly again as his movements became more pronounced.

"It looks like you will be waking up soon" Valentine thought and he was right because as he thought that the boy opened his eyes to the world.

**An: like it? so what do you think of the wizard?**

**Bags = Valentine's swear word**

**True as toasted toads = something Valentine knows is true**

**Review**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Wizard's first rule

Will woke up and first thing he saw was that he was human again and that he was not alone. The wizard was here too. Will could now see as he looked around the room, a mirror and the reflection that it held had him confused.

He could see himself, he looked kind of human. He had pointed ears but they still looked human shaped kind of. He had a human body but it was leaner than before and the muscles were more wiry. His hair was still dark brown as were his eyes but both still had golden flecks in them.

Next his nose wiggled as he smelt the wonderful, tangy aroma of spice soup. As a bowl full was placed in front of him, he broke off a piece of bread and dunk it in the soup he realized as he ate that he had been staving for weeks. Will guessed that the wizard was waiting for him too start talking but right now he needed to get rid of his hunger.

"Valentine "**RAVEN**" Alexander" the wizard told him, when Will did not speak.

Will froze in mid - chew. He swallowed and then waited for the wizard to say something else. Will stole a glance at Valentine and saw him sitting in his chair with an expectant look on his face and Will realized that he should say something too. So he tried to say his name.

"Will" came Will's voice. It was soft like wind though the trees but also had a growl to it as if the wolf was talking too.

"Nice to meet you Will. Please call me Raven, never liked my full name anyway. Why the Raven part? because my favorite past time is to take to the air as a bird" Raven said as he watched will as he finished his meal.

Will smiled at the man, it looked like he wanted to use humor to win him over and to let him know that he could trust him to be truthful. Will liked this man, Raven but he had another out there that he had to find, even though he could not remember his name, he could remember what he looked like and name, he could remember what he looked like and he knew this man cared for him.

"I want to find my friend. I know he wont care what I am now, just that I am free" Will said in his new voice. He could feel a tingle going down his body and he knew that soon he would turn back into a wolf.

"Don't worry young one. We will find him. Is he this person you call "Halt"? because you were saying that a lot in your dreams" asked Raven leaning back into his chair, his hands resting behind his head.

"I am not sure but maybe. Is this normal? not being able to remember correctly" Will asked.

"Yes but I know of ways we can find him and your memory will return with time. As for now you must get stronger and get use to changing back and forth" Raven told him as he saw the boy fall to his side and start to shake and then change into his wolf form.

The wolf got up on its paws and looked expectantly at Raven. The wizard waved his hand and said that he should follow him. Will decided to follow him as he did help regain his human body even if it was for a short time.

As Raven led the way, Will turned his head from side to side. Looking at his surroundings. Once in a while he would see a pair of eyes watching him and as if Raven knew what Will was looking at he said "your not the only magical creature that calls this place home. This castle, the forest and the lake are all safe havens for those who are hunted"

Will follow Raven until they got to a room where there were torches set in brass brackets, lit the walls. In the centre of the room sat a huge white crystal, the light from the torches made the crystal thrown rainbows around the room.

Carved in the walls were ancient symbols, instructions in an ancient language telling the user of the crystal history and its future but none alive today could read the language and of the wizard's alive today, only Raven use the crystal to its full power.

"Will this is the Shada crystal. It does many things from seeing the future to healing wounds, but its main purpose is to track lost things" Raven said placing his hand on the crystal.

Will looked at the crystal, then at Raven and then back to the crystal. He let loose a soft whine. "How is that going to help me? even if it can track. So to use it you would have to be human"Will thought coming closer to the crystal.

"Don't worry about that. It will work"said Raven then when Will looked at him with his head on the side and an ear cocked Raven went on "I can hear your thoughts, also I understand many animal languages, wolf being one of them".

"Wow"Will thought "this wizard must have a lot more powers than the ones I saw before"

"Yes I do. Anyway to find your friend all you must do is think of them and I will do the rest. How? you may ask, the crystal gives me two points of reference. It will show me what is happening to the person at the time and where that person is on the map on the wall over there"Raven told Will pointing over to the map.

Will nodded then whined "why?".

Raven said "because of the wizard's first rule: help others first".

Will nodded again then started to think of his friend and more he did this, the more he could remember him, the times he told him he was spending a night in the trees because of doing something he was not supposed to do and of riding through the trees on a grey horse shouting "Halt your horse is too slow" only to have him yell back "we will show you who is slow" and he took off.

"Well done I have picture and a location, its maybe four days ride from here, and don't worry from what I can see in the crystal even though he has been hurt, it is nothing serious" said Raven leaving the crystal and going over to the map.

Will watched the man he now knew as his friend Halt but somehow he knew that was not all he was. Will wished he could hear what was happening there.

And then suddenly he could and he heard his friends voice for the first time n a long time.

"Still thinking of escaping and going after your boy? you know the witch has probably killed him or turned him into some sort of toy boy. All kids that go to that castle are never heard from again"said a huge mountain of a man.

Halt said "you don't know my son" only to have his owner say back "you don't know the witch. Even if one day he gets away from her, he will always feel her touch"

Raven came back and said "it was time to go" and Will knew it, it was now time to get some pay back on what had happened.

**An: sorry for the late update school got in the way.**

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	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

A soul of fire

Will's paws barely touched the ground as he pushed his wolf body to its limit. He could hear Raven behind him. Following him with two horses that Will and Raven had been using on and off as they traveled. The horses were fast, maybe faster than any Will had ever known he was sure of that. How else could they keep up with a wolf.

As he traveled Will was thinking of what he had heard in the crystal. His friend had called him "my son". Did that mean that Halt was his father?that would explain a lot of his memories of their time together on the way here to this land.

"Bags boy, slow down... we don't know what we are going to find once we get there" said Raven, the horse he was on was puffing a bit as was the other behind.

Will growled but slowed his pace. As he did so he felt the now familiar tingle in his body. Will knew now he had to stop as he was about to change. As the tingle became more and more painful as he made the change back to human form. Will shivered as the change stopped, he might have a fur coat in wolf form but right now he was naked. Raven threw him some clothes he had in a pack on the other horse.

"Will remind me once we get back to the castle to add another layer to that changing spell. So that your clothes change with you" said Raven looking at a now clothed Will, who was now blushing. Will did not really like others looking at him like this. He got enough of that from the mountain men.

Will's memories were few a far between but he did remember his "father Halt" and most of his time at redmont and his first year of being a ranger, and of Tug. "This horse is nothing like Tug but its not a bad horse" thought Will as he got on the spare horse.

"No he is not a bad horse and he has a name. Its Billy"said Raven looking at the young wolf boy riding beside him. Raven watched how the boy moved in the saddle it was like he was born to do it.

"I am sorry for insulting you Billy"said Will to the horse but his mind was still on their trip to rescue Halt. What would they have to do to save him? Will knew that he would do anything to save the only family he had left.

Billy the horse snorted at Will but continued moving his hooves making a soft clipping on the forest floor. As the day rolled on Will knew that he did not have much time left as a human today and there was something he needed to know.

"Raven...you said that I talk like a wolf. How am I going to talk to Halt if that is the case?" Will asked.

"There is a few things we can do or show I should say and no Will I will not say them here. Just know there are ways around this problem"Raven answered.

Will said softly " what about my aging? soon he will leave me and I will be all alone" and after he said that he placed his head into the mane of his horse, so that Raven could not see the tears that were silently falling down his face.

"Will... that is not something for you to worry about right now, but I will tell you this. Wizard's age slowly as do a lot of things that have magic in their blood. You have had your heart beat stopped then started again so you will never age, to your body you are dead but you are alive because of magic now in your blood. but you must know that you will never be alone. That I a wizard of the first order will not allow it"said a fiery wizard.

Will felt better after this and as his time for being human closed for the day he knew that even though he was what he was Raven would somehow make things work.

The breeze ruffled Will's fur as they rounded the corner and closed in on their target. Raven called out that it was time to set up camp and he started to dismount, the horses needed rest. Raven explained that they may need their speed tomorrow when they caught up with the man that had Halt.

"Why is that?"Will asked in his wolf voice. Will was glad that Raven could understand him in either form "I thought your powers would be able to defeat anyone that would come after you or us?"

"They can but the man that has your Halt, I recognize him, not by name but by his size and what he is wearing. He is a Skandian and they are very hard to take down because of their size"said Raven as he set out their supplies.

Skandians... that rang a dim bell in Will's mind and then he remembered the trip over the sea and how Halt had held him close against his body trying to give him comfort as the two of them sailed away from their homeland.

Then suddenly his mind was filled with a memory of the day he was taken. He saw the man who worked for the witch coming into the place where he, Halt and others were being held. Of Halt standing in front of him, protecting him when the two of them realized he was taking all of the young boys away and of Halt's face giving him a silent promise, that he would come for him, giving him hope without speaking, without needing too. Will was also giving Halt his own silent promise, that they would see each other again. That this was not going to be the last time not like this, that one day they would be free.

Now it was time for him to fore-fill his side of the promise, time to give his father Halt hope, that he had been giving him all this time. This wolf was going to go wild.

**An: like it? review**

**An2: read the preview of the "Royal ranger" I knew that they were going to do that to Will when they let him marry her.**


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

A Wolfish Ranger

The chirps and calls of small nocturnal animals greeted Will and Raven as they made their way to the other campsite that held Halt and the skandian slaver. Will knew that Halt held the answers to his questions about who he was and who he could be.

Then suddenly two shadows stood ahead of them. One was a smallish man who was wearing a mottled green and grey coat with his hands tied up in rope. He had cuts and bruises all over his body but that was not what took Will's eyes, it was the man's eyes, they were deep with power and held something in them that Will could not understand. _Halt _Will thought. The other was a mountainous man dressed in furs with giant axe, that looked like it already had blood on it. The smell assulted Will's nose. _The dead man _thought Will.

"There they are Will. Keep to the plan we talked about last night and soon we will free your friend and be on our way home. I am sure that the two of you will have a lot to talk about before you finally get back to talking to me again" Raven said as he moved the horse he was riding forward while Will stayed in his wolf form and snuck around to get a better position to pounce on the slaver. Will's body and mind had been ready for this for days and he was not going to mess it up. Too much was riding on this. His family was riding on this.

Raven trotted his horse into the campsite of the others. He could see that Halt was hurt but not seriously. His main bruises were around his wrists. _Trying to get away _Raven thought. The skandian was not happy that this strange man had found them and placed his hand on his weapon. Too many times had he gone after this slave and he was not going to loose him now. Not to this strange looking man. The slave was ready as well. ready to get away.

"May I trouble you for a moment, my good sir?" Raven started to say before he was interrupted by the skandian who obviously did not want to talk to anyone.

"No you may not! Be on your way before I brain you with my axe" the skandian said swinging his giant axe around and around in the air. Trying to prove his power. He would try and scare this person away, for he looked like a weaking.

Raven was not impressed. He knew that Will would be in position now and all he had to do was to protect the boy's friend and let Will take out the skandian. From what he knew of Will, he knew the boy would have no trouble in killing this man. He had seen what the boy could do and some one this bigg would be no problem at all.

High over the top of the campsite Will moved to a small cropping of rocks above where the people were talking. Once he was sure that he could get the mountain man, he bolted straight for the man. In the snow covered ground Will's white wolf form lunged at the slaver knocking him backwards. The man recovered and started to circle behind the white wolf he could see. The skandian knew that he would get no help from either of the others here, he would have to do this alone.

Will hurled himself at the man again and before the skandian could move, Will had raised his head and clamped his jaws on the man's shoulder. The skandian gave a howl of pain that cut through the forest and had birds shooting from the treetops. Before Will could move again the skandian smashed the handle of his axe into Will's side, making him roll away. Will quickly got up and was on the man before the skandian could blink.

Raven watched the fight as it turned into a rolling war of brown and white. Blood from the wounds from both man and wolf began to spurt out on the snow. Raven was just about to step in when he felt something. A touch on his leg. Raven looked down to see two brown eyes looking up at him.

"The wolf, is he yours?" asked Halt. He was hopeful that these two could get him away from this horror of a man and he could then go and try and save Will. He also wanted to know about these two. Why would they come to help him like this. It was very strange that out in the middle of nowhere, a man and his pet wolf would turn up to help him. Not that he was not greatful.

"Yes I could say he is mine, but I could also say that he is yours. I could also say he is Shotaha's but for the most part he is his own man" said Raven, he could see that the man was confused so he continued "this might clear things up for you. The wolf's name is Will"

Halt's eyes widened in shock. Was this wolf, Will? his Will? his son? he had heard of a witch that took young boys as slaves and he knew that was where Will had been taken too, but this? to turn Will into a wolf, but as he watched the white wolf he could see the moves that the wolf made were not like any normal wolf would make and some of them looked like moves that he had taught Will.

**"Will !"** Halt called out.

Halt watched as the white wolf turned to him. Even under all of white fur that was covered in blood. He could see the eyes of the boy he raised. The boy he loved with all his heart. The boy he would do anything for. The boy that he had been watching in secret all his life since he was days old.

Will was detracted from the battle long enough that the skandian got the white wolf with his axe. Blood was gushing from a large rip in Will's side. The skandian pushed him over and positioned himself over the white wolf's thick neck. The axe was going to come down and end Will's life just when he had got his father back he was going to loose him again when he died.

All of a sudden a fire ball slammed into the man's side throwing him into the rocky ground behind them. Then it was like nature itself wanted to kill this man. Birds flew at him. Deer kicked their hooves and bashed him with their antlers. Bears and mountain lions clawed at him. Then the plants took over from were the animal left off.

Vines of snow covered roots looped around the man tying him down before a ring of fire surrounded him, choking him and he began to cough uncontrollably. The rocks behind him lifted into the air and fell on him a minute later. Crushing him.

"Bags, people that deal in slavery are the bane of my life and those of others as well, well at least that is one that others wont have to worry about again. Now I had better see to you boy" Raven said as he moved over to the bloodied side of the white wolf and laid his hands on its wound, and a glow started. Will whined in pain and clawed at the snow as the magic did its work.

Halt could hear the man say something to the wolf and suddenly he could see a blue light come from the man's hand and then he could see the would on the wolf's side heal. Halt knew now a few things. First, he was free from the man who had kept him from his son. Second, that the man who was healing the wolf was obviously a wizard. Third, that Will was now a wolf, the wolf that was laying on the ground in front of him.

After the wizard had finished with the wolf and had come over and freed him. Halt stood there looking at the wolf, who was breathing softly he was still in obvious pain. Halt got down on his knees and ran a hand through the soft white and gold fur of the wolf. He could see the wound had healed and although he was weak he would be fine. Then all of a sudden the wolf turned into a boy. The boy he knew, the boy he loved.

So quickly that even Raven did not see it. The boy was up in Halt's arms. Will was softly crying on Halt's shoulder as Halt was crying on his. Will knew now he was safe and that he was loved.

**An: like Halt's and Will's reunion?**

**review **


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Debt of Bones

Raven watched as the two friends reunited. Halt held Will so tight and murmuring softly to him, hoping to stop Will's sobs on his shoulder and his own on Will's. Will could not believe that this was real even if he did not remember every thing about this man, he remembered enough to know that he missed him so much. Raven for his part smiled. This was beautiful thing to see, a boy and his father reunited, after what must been along time, but by the look of the boy's pale skin colour, Will was getting weaker by the minute and should soon rest again and heal.

_My spell can not do everything_ Raven thought.

"Not to ruin this beautiful moment but Will my spell to heal you can not give you all your health back you should be sleeping." said Raven.

Only to have Will growl from his position on Halt's shoulder, not wanting to leave Halt for any reason at all. He lift his head high enough to glare at the wizard though. He knew that Raven was right but it did not mean he liked it.

Raven glared back at Will and said " bags and double bags don't give me that language boy" only to have Will deepen his growl.

_What language _thought Halt. He had only heard Will growl at the man. This was followed by more growls and now whines in different tones that made it sound like talking. But how could this be? Will could talk normally so what was with the wolf sounds.

Will sighed at Raven's words. _I suppose I must do what he said_ thought Will, and then let Halt go, and in a flash he was back on four paws. Raven let out a soft windblown whistle and a second latter two horses appeared out of the trees. Halt smiled, the way Raven called and saw to the two horses before moving off in to the trees reminded him of Abelard and Tug.

As Raven got a litter ready to carry the wolf child, Will looked down and away from Halt, afraid of what he might say or do. For a another memory surfaced of how people treated others they thought had magic and now he had some. Would Halt except him now? even though he knew Halt still cared about him and had held him. It did not mean that he would like his wolf form that he was forced to wear now forever. Even if he somehow gained the ability to stay human all the time, the wolf would always be part of him.

"Will its alright I know you are worried about what I think of this, about your wolf self, but I don't care, you are still you whether you are human or wolf. Your still Will, my son" Halt said before throwing his arms around the white wolf neck.

Halt could feel the softness of his coat, his soft breath near his ear. Halt's hand moved down the wolf's body, gently touching the scar on Will's side. Will snuggled into Halt. He felt wonderful even though his body was going to fall any moment. Will now moved to the litter that Raven had set up. Will was not sure that the two wooden poles and the material stretched between them, would hold his weight, (in his wolf form he weight quite a lot most of it muscle) but once he had laid down and relaxed, he was soon sleep.

"Well that did not take long. Come on young man, let's get on home. Where you can clean up and decide what you and your boy want to do next" said Raven getting on the horse that held Will's litter behind it. While Halt got on the other.

"Is Will alright? that wound was bad" Halt asked, he kept his horse beside Will's sleeping form, not wanting for a moment to take his eyes off the wolf child.

"Sure. He will be fine, a few days rest will have him on his paws in no time. It takes a lot to kill his kind, for the most part they are immortal. I know this from others of his kind that I have helped over the years"said Raven, then seeing the shocked look on Halt's face. _ He must have thought Will would have a normal human lifespan _Raven thought. So he continued " as true as toasted toads, he is immortal. He can not speak human though. Lost that ability when he was changed. Even though now with my spell giving him the ability to change back to human and regain his memories, the ability to talk human will take some time to come back to him. Centuries maybe"

Halt took in what the wizard told him about himself, and how he had met Will and about the witch who had turned him. Halt wondered if Will could say any words in Araluen or was wolf the only words he could speak. _ If that was so how was he going to understand him and help him though the years ahead _Halt thought. Halt looked at the wizard he now knew as Raven and even though he was a kind man, Halt did not know if he could really trust him with the most important thing in his life.

Will came out of his dream world nearly six hours later, when the motion of the two horses stopped. He could see that they had been talking about him, but he kind of thought that they would do this, so he was not worried about it. The two of them were resting by the fire they had set up, so Will changed back into human form and went over to them.

Halt looked up as Will made soft noises at him as he came up to the two of them. Halt sensed that Will wanted to say something but like before Halt could not understand a word. Will seeing that he was not getting though to Halt, just sat down and wrapped his arms around Halt again, seeking the comfort that this man could bring.

"Here let me help the two of you" said Raven as he placed one of his hands on Will's throat and the other on Halt's forehead. Raven then said some words that neither rangers could understand, then once he stopped he said "there now, you will be able to understand him Halt".

Will looked at Raven nodding his thanks before saying "Halt, I can't believe I have found you. I thought I would never see you again. When that B..B... Witch changed me and made me forget everyone. Somehow I held on to some memory of you, for you are the closest thing I have to a father. Halt, I love you"Will said before cuddling back into Halt again. He had been though too much and having some one like Halt there brought the comfort he needed.

"Will, my son. I never gave up on finding you again. I will always come for you, no matter where that is and wolf or human I only see you. My home is with you and while I have friends home that might need me one day. I will never leave this place without you"Halt told him, now that he could understand what the boy was saying then he continued "Raven thank you for what you have done for us"

"No thanks needed. I just wish I could do more for the two of you. Like change Will back completely" said Raven looking at the two of them, knowing that one day in the future they would be separated whether they wanted it or not. Whether it was illness or old age or something else, the boy would soon loose his friend again.

"But you could"Halt said looking at the wizard.

Will looked up at Halt and raised an eyebrow something he never lost from his time as a human. What could Raven do that could help the two of them. Will knew that Raven could not cure him completely of the spell that the witch had placed on him. No matter how much he wanted it, that was impossible, then he heard Halt speak again.

"You could change me too"

**An: like it? what do you think of Halt request? **

**Side note: Some people have said my summary sucks so I will run a competion. write me a new one and the best will get part of the next chapter as their reward a full two weeks before any of the others read it.**


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Temple of winds

"Turn you? Turn you into what?" asked Raven. What would this man want to be now? He could not turn him into anything anyway, for he did not have what they would need to pull it off. Only she did. It was a type of black magic that even though he could do it, he only did it if there was no other choice in the matter. This was a last resort only.

"Turn me into what Will is, into a wolf - person, so that Will and I never have to be a part again" Halt said tightening his hold on Will. He could see the wizard studying him trying to see his motive for the change. Then his face change as he disassembled his thoughts.

"I would do this, but I don't have the power or the equipment right now to pull it off. I would need the same spell and ingredients that Shotaha used on Will to turn you" said Raven, his hands behind his head as he rested up against a tree.

"But if you had these things you could do it?" asked Will. He thought it would be nice to have Halt with him, especially if that was the only thing he could keep from his old life. He would like more but having his father would be great.

"Yes I believe I could, but unlike Shotaha, that likes to use children in her spells. I think that if a person is strong willed enough it should not matter what aged they are, and from what I have seen of you Halt, I think you would survive this spell without any problem" Raven told them, while thinking on the spell in his mind and going over what he knew of Halt's fitness. He also didn't tell them that he had performed the spell once before on an old friend and have it go wrong causing the death of someone he held dear. To cause this pain on the young wolf child, he didn't want to think of what could happen.

"That's good. Also by taking these things from the witch, it will stop her from turning anymore children into animals and it will help me get my own back on her for all she has done" said Will trying to sound strong but failing because he was barely holding in to his human form.

Will did not want to show it but his wound still pained him. The injury might be closed by Raven's and his own magic but the pain that had come with the wound had not and only rest and time would heal that, and memories of that witch were just as painful. Also he did not want to leave Halt, especially now that Halt had said that he would stay with him. He wanted to show that the witch hadn't won.

"Will... Change back and rest. I will find out what we need to do and once you are healed, we will go and take care of the witch" said Halt as he caught Will before he could full to the ground, placed him in a safe area and watched as he changed back into a white wolf.

Halt took a blanket from the pack on his horse and covered a now sleeping boy. There were a few questions he had to ask of the wizard now but they could wait. For he knew he would find out the answers in time.

A few days later Halt and a newly healed Will were moving through the dead forest that surrounded Shotaha's castle. They knew that there was a possibility that there were more monster animals in here, maybe some of Will's old pack. Halt at first only wanted to go alone but Will knew that he could not go through that again. To loose someone he loved, he just knew he wouldn't live through it.

"Will... We will have to move carefully from here. If we can get in and out without the witch or those who work for her knowing that we have been here would be for the best. I worry about you coming with me, that's why I wanted to come alone. As a former slave of hers you could be in a lot of danger" Halt told the white wolf that was laying low in the bushes beside him.

Will gave a soft noise of agreement, which soon turned into words as Raven's spell kicked in again "Halt….. What about the other wolves like me? Do you think that Raven could help them too? That's if they want the help and were to come with us?"

"I am not sure Will. So much of this is new to me and to say what he can and cannot do is beyond that I understand of the man but he could, I mean he was able to help you… so he should be able too, but that is not our first priority. The first is the spell blade, the spell book and the wizard dust. Not only to change me but to stop her from changing anyone else" Halt said looking up at the castle trying to find the best way for wolf and man to scale it without being found.

A few hours later, when the light was low, the two rangers moved. The dark dead forest that surrounded the castle of the witch, which the two human rangers now moved through. As they started the scale up to the castle, the walls were devoid of covering and the little of it there was dead. The rocky ground that lay just beyond that was grey, jagged and formidable as a barrier to all who were foolish to try and sneak in.

There were caves and as Will and Halt past by them Will could tell that they were or are home to her wolf slaves. Lucky that none of them were there at the time, Will did wonder for a short moment where there were but he knew right now he had to focus on what they were doing. Making it this far had been easier than Halt had thought, it was the next part they were worried about. Moving around the castle unseen.

A lot of this was relying on Will's memory and his nose which was still keen whether he was wolf or not it did not matter. Before the two of them left, Raven had held out a jar, which contained wizard dust in it. Raven had said that this should lead them to the spell room, if not at least they should be in the right area and there might be more to be found in those rooms.

Will had asked why they could not use the wizard dust that he already had. Raven just said to that, that he did not have enough of it to do what he needed to do with it. The wizard had looked out of the window after that, the dust must be important to him, more important than they were, but then Raven look back and said that even if he did, he would still need the spell blade and book to finish the spell.

As Halt and Will made their way down the hallway, Will could smell the wizard dust easily. It was strong in his nose, it smell of old spice and flowers. Halt opened the door that Will had lead him too. The room was a mess like it had been wreaked by some kind of storm but still the desk in the room held what they wanted, the dust and blade.

"The spell book is not here" said Halt to Will as they looked around the room for the final object that they were looking for.

"We can help you with that" said a voice from the shadows.

The two rangers turned to see three dark wolf shapes standing in the doorway.

**An: cliffy anyone? Guess which wolves they are and I'll give you a taste of what is coming. **

**review **


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Faith of the Fallen

Will's nose twitched trying to scent the three strange wolves that had just shown up at the door to the spell room. All at once Will realized who they were, it was Brandon, his brother Collin and the Golden Wolf Jason. The three of them stood there in their wolf forms waiting to see what the two of them would do. Jason's eyes were only on Halt, Will could see that he knew that Halt was not one of them.

"Why would you do that for us? Why don't you want to turn us in?" Will asked Brandon as he could tell that he was the leader of their group here. So it was him that he knew he would have to go through.

Brandon moved forward, now that he could see that they were not going to fight right now. He growled softly to Jason so that the golden wolf would back off. The wolf backed down back he never lost his focus on Halt though. Brandon sighed and started to talk.

"because of what happened a few days after our mission to the wizard's castle".

At this the others started to whine and whimper. Halt and Will could see that all of them, even Brandon were clearly upset but then Brandon growled at them and they were then silent again but they still did not loose the pain in their eyes. Soon all three wolves had moved into the room and had sat down and looked at Halt and Will, who realized that they must do the same if they wanted to hear the story.

"What happened?" asked Halt, taking the only chair in the room, while Will and the other sat on the floor. It seemed that the other wolves had taken for granted that Halt could talk to them. Will realized that they probably thought that all humans could talk to all animals.

"Will do you remember the youngest wolf in our group, Nicholas?" Brandon asked and when Will nodded, Brandon then continued "Nick was killed by Lucas and Charlie. The Witch was there, just standing there, watching as he was torn apart. She let it happen.

"Why would she allow such a thing to happen? I thought that she needed as many wolves as she could create to be her guards. I thought that was why we were made for her" Will said.

"Oh she does need us but it was like she was angry over what had happened. Like there was more to our mission than she was letting on and us not fulfilling our job, she just needed that anger to be released and some how that anger transmitted to Lucas" said Brandon and then Jason started to speak, his eyes on the floor for the first time since coming in the room with the others and not on Halt.

"Nicholas was just laying in the sun, resting his shoulder that had been troubling him since the mission, he had taken a bad knock to it and he was lucky that it was not broken. Lucas saw this as a sign that Nicholas was weaker then the rest and this he must have told Charlie. So then the two of them attacked" said Jason while Collin just nodded and whined softly.

"Collin there was nothing you could have done. I know he was your friend but if you had gone out there you would have been killed too"said Brandon rubbing his head against his little brother's shoulder.

Halt realized that Collin must have been the next target of the two lead wolves, and Brandon must want to get away before he is killed too.

"So you want to get away before it is you as well?" Halt asked Brandon, Collin and Jason looked at Halt again. Will realized that even if they knew that Halt could understand them, they did not know that he could make himself understood as well and Jason had pick up on this.

"Yes we would. We would give anything to get away from here. I can tell you both had some kind of spell placed on you,different to what we have been through. Human you have obviously been given the power to speak to us and Will you have been given the power to turn into a human" Jason said looking at the two of them with the eyes of a predator.

"Will, my son...what is it with this one?" asked Halt.

"Jason has a nickname, which is hawk or at least it used to be when he was human. I don't know if he remembers his life at all. I only remembered parts of it but that was because of you, Halt" said Will.

"What do you mean human? haven't we always been wolves? I don't believe that we were because the only human in the room is that one!" said Jason pointing to Halt.

Brandon and Collin looked confused about this too. None of them remembered their lives before the witch got to them. Will knew that they would need some more convincing before they would believe that they were human but this was neither the time or place of that conversation.

"Look we can go over that conversation another time. Let's just get the book and get out of here" said Halt placing the blade and the dust in the bag that he carried.

And Although the other wolves growled at this, they relented that it was something for another time and lead the way out of the room and down the corridor, their noses working and their eyes sharp all the time, making sure that they were not found by any other wolves or the witch Shotaha.

In the warm yellow light of the spell book room the companions started their search for the spell book she used to change Will and the others into wolves. There was thousands of books in the room but with the noses of the wolves they soon could tell which ones that she could have used by the smell of wolf in their pages.

"Which is it?" asked Collin.

They had found two books with wolf scent on them and had long spells in a language that none of them could understand in their pages. Both of them looked very old and worn.

"The only thing we can do is to take both books and hope that one of them is the book we need. I sure don't want to come back here again" Halt told them and the wolves all agreed.

"He is right, it's tie to go" Will said, quickly running to the exit and checking out whether the coast was clear. It would be bad to get everything they needed only to have themselves caught. Will knew if that was to happen, Halt would most likely be killed and his and the other wolves spells reinforced, so that there would be no way for Raven to undo it, they would never think of their human selves again but if Halt was to die, Will knew that he would not want to remember his human life without him.

As the small group moved through the castle, torches flickered light as their passing made the still air move, throwing the groups shadows on the walls. All of a sudden, two massive shadows appeared, they moved from one side of the corridor to the other. Halt, Will and the others froze, hoping that those shadows would not or could not detect them.

They did not.

Soon the group could breathe again. Halt said now that it was over and that it was time to go home and at that the three new wolves looked at each other.

Home? was the only thing they thought.

**An: were they the wolves you thought of? only Alex the rogue guess two of them right. Side note have any of you read the first chapter of the "Royal Ranger" on the Ranger's apprentice web site, I have and I cannot believe what happened to her.**

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	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Pillars of Creation

Raven was surprised but pleased when the group came back to his castle. He naturally asked the three new wolves whether they wished to gain back their human forms. The wolves took turns in talking to him about what was going to happen and what they could expect after they had made the change to human if they wanted to change at all.

While Raven dealt with them, Halt and Will slipped out the back. The garden was full of life, all around them there wee flowers set in beds, beyond those were small trees and short stone walls, that had the look of the wild to them as ivy grew all over. It was a place of beauty and peace something that neither ranger had felt in a long time.

In the center was a small circle of soft feather like moss that was broken only by a wedge of white stone. Which was smooth and perfect for sitting on. Green light filtered through the trees as the two rangers sat down on the white stone seat knowing that they needed to talk before Halt went under his transformation.

"Halt are you sure that you want to do this? I know you want to stay with me but I have Raven and the others now to keep me safe. You could still have a normal life" Will said his hands were trembling as he said this because he really did not want to loose him.

"Will do you think for one moment that I have had a normal life? no I have not and its not that I don't trust Raven but I don't know what is going to happen in the future and that is why I am doing this. To be there to help in any way I can to save you, our home or our friends" Halt said looking into Will's eyes and tightening his hold on Will's hand, Before saying "and another thing you are my son, maybe not by blood but the one of my heart".

"Halt... Dad I just... I want..."Will started to babble out until Halt's hand came down on his mouth and the other slowly stroked his back.

"Will I know"Halt simply said.

They stayed like this for a while, just holding each other and softly talking to each other so quietly that no one else could have possibly heard, they were getting everything out that had happened to them. Halt's slavery had not been as bad as Will's had been. He had only been made to do things like pack things away or cook and clean etc... a lot of things he did was the same as he had got Will to do in his first day as an apprentice.

"Knew I would find the two of you out here" said Raven as he came up to them he was a little warn before he said "a little bird told me and a have very good little birds"

The two rangers looked at him before Will asked "how is everyone? are you alright? will Halt still be able change into what I am?". Will was firing one question after another before Raven brought up his hand to stop the flow.

"Bags boy one question at a time!" Raven said then seeing the look on the faces of his friends he continued "I am alright just tired, so I might need to leave your transformation for a few days Halt, if you don't mind but true as toasted toads that will be next. As for the others, they are why I need the rest, they all decided to have the same spell that I used on Will on them and so they are going to be changing into humans too".

"Wow I did not think they would go through with it but good for them"said Will, in his mind he thought that this was good because even though their human lives had been stolen, they could have some of it back through this spell of Raven's.

Halt was thinking too. Shotaha had the right idea with the guard wolves. Many royalty had dogs

that guarded them, but the way she did it was wrong. Raven now had the makings of a small guard, at the moment it was four wolves soon it would be five and Halt could plan to used that guard, he could use ranger lessons to make them into a fine team.

"Raven that's fine, I will wait for you to recover to make my change but once that happens and I have recovered then I might have something to talk to you about" said Halt.

Will just looked at Halt. What could he be planning, Will thought. True they had not really talked about what they were going to do after Halt's change. Somehow Will had known that they would not go home but he had thought that they would not stay here. That Halt would want that, to stay in an area that he knew was dangerous.

"Halt what are you saying?" Will asked. He could see that was what Raven wanted to know the answer to.

"All in due course, my dear friends" said Halt looking a little happy at the confused looks on the faces of Will and Raven.

"I suppose I could put some kind of spell on you to make you tell me what you are babbling about but I think I will wait, for now and anyway I have three wolf children to check up on" and with that Raven left.

"What do you mean dad?"Will asked

"You will just have to wait and see"said Halt to his son.

**An: what do you think? I know it was a filler but sometimes you need them. Sorry it took so long to get out I had music competition which I won by eight points. All ready have the next one planned out so should be up sooner.**

**review**


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